Swimming appliance



April 15, 1952 E. c. LINDGREN SWIMMING APPLIANCE Filed May 8, 1950 Patented Apr. l5, 1952 SWIMMING APPLIANCE Edward C. Lindgren, Maple Park, 111., assigner tf one-half to Charles F. Dayton, De Kalb, Ill.

Application May 8, 1950, Serial No. 160,649

3 Claims. (Cl. 9-17) This invention relatesto a swimming appliance such as a sol-called kick-board or other buoyant body adapted to float on water and support the forward end of a swimmers body in an idle position while leaving the legs and feet of the swimmer free to practice kicking motions.

One object of the invention is to provide a swimming appliance of the above character which is constructed in a novel manner to support the swimmers hands, arms, and shoulders below the level of the water in idle positions thus more closely simulating the natural swimming positions of these parts of the body than has been possible with prior appliances of the same general character.

Another object is to provide a novel appliance of the above character on which the swimmer may merely rest either one or both hands or' feet without. exerting any effort to hold onto the appliance or center the same in its natural floating position.

A more detailed object is to provide an appli-I' such that the weight of the swimmers body with either one or both hands resting on the handle is applied in opposition to the buoyant force along the center of gravity of the buoyant body.

Other objects and advantages of the invention will become apparent from the following detailed description taken in connection with the accompanying drawings, in which Figure 1 is'a rear elevational view of a swimming appliance embodying the novel features of the present invention with some of the parts shown in section.

Fig. 2 is a perspective view illustrating the manner of using the improved device.

While the invention is susceptible of various modiiications and alternative` constructions, I

` have shown in the drawings and will herein describe in detail the preferred embodiment. It is to be understood, however, that I do not intend to limit the invention by such disclosure but aim to .cover all modifications and alternative constructions falling within the spirit and scope of the invention as expressed in the appended claims.

The improved swimming appliance comprises generally a iloat or buoyant body IIJ having sufficient buoyancy to support the head portion of a swimmers body II and combined in a novel manner with a handle I2 suspended from the float substantially in the vertical plane of the center of gravity of the float and having a grip- 2* ping portion adapted to receive either one -or both hands of the swimmer when 4the float I0 is spaced outwardly in front of the swimmers head as shown in Fig. 2.V While the float may take various forms, it is preferably inilatable so as to be collapsible for shipping and storing. For this purpose, the float comprises walls I3 and Il of flexible material such as rubber or plastic sealed together along a seam I5 which extends completely around the float.

Preferably, the height, width, and length of the iioat are of approximately the same dimension. In any case, the length is such that the distance A between one end of the float and the center of gravity B thereof is substantially less than the length of the swimmers arms I6 beyond his head so that when one or both of the swim'- mers hands are resting on the handles i2th'e end of the float is'spaed from the swimmers head as shown in Fig; 2. The handle I2 is disposed horizontally beneath the oat I0 and to receive either one of the swimmers hands at the center as shown in Fig. 1 or both hands at opposite ends as shown in Fig. 2. To enable the float to remain centered in its natural iloating position without any effort required by the swimmer when eitherone or both of his hands are resting on the handle, the latter is constructed so that the weight of the forward portion of the swimmers body is always applied in opposition to the buoyant force along the center B of gravity of the oat. For this purpose, the handle is supported substantially in the vertical plane of the center B of gravity as noted above with one gripping portion Ill of the handle along its center located beneath the center of gravity and left free to receive one hand of the swimmer while end portions I8 located on either side of the center portion are also free to receive the swimmers hands. Preferably, these gripping portions I1A and I8 are rigid so as to retain their shape while supporting the swimmers hands.

In the present instance, the handle I2 is a straight rigid rod suspended from the float by two members I9 which are connected to the oat and depend therefrom for connection with the rod at points spaced along the latter to leave the central portion thereof free. To simplify the construction, the suspension members are preferably flexible flaps formed integralwith the side walls I3 and I4 of the float along the seam I5 thereof and diverging downwardly away from the iioat. Washers 20 extend around the peripheries of eyes formed in the lower portions of the flaps to reinforce the latter and receive opposite end portions of the rod,V A spacer member 22, such as a tube of rubber or the like encircling-the center of the rod, holds the flaps spaced apart to define the center, gripping portion i'LijThe flaps are held inwardly against the ends of the spacer tube (see Fig. 2), the hands, arms, and shoulders o f the Swimmer are completely submerged in the water just below the level of the latter owing to the location of the handle I2 below the water' Sur-face. lt will thus be seen that the swimmers hands, arms and shoulders are supported in 'an inactivev position which closely simulates the ace.- tive swimming position of the parts of the body. Since the handle lies substantially in a vertical plane through the center B of gravity of the float and is centered with respect to the latter, the weight of the forward portion of the swimmers body is balancedV on both sides of the vcenter of When a swimmer isyresting either gravity whether the swimmer is resting one or .both hands on the handle.

The novel swimming appliance above described is versatile and may be used to support the swimmers Afeet while practicing arm motions as well esto support the arms while practicing kicking motions. Thus, the vsvviurnmers toes may be .hQQkedover the end portions I8 of the handle I2 as in practicing the crawl stroke or the heels may rest on the handle while the swimmer practices the arm motions of the back stroke.

I claim as my invention:

l.. .A swim-ming appliance comprising, in combination, a buoyant body, a rigid elongated handle bar, a spacer member encircling the center of .said bar and extending along the latter far enough to receive a swimmers hand, two flexible naps suspended from the center portion of .the bottom of 4 said body and diverging downwardly away from the latter, said flaps having eyes therein to receive opposite end portions of `said bar, and coverings on the end portions of said bar to hold portion thereof, said flaps diverging downwardly awaylfrom the body and having eyes therein receiving said bar, and a spacer on the center of saidjbar holding said naps apart far enough to permit a swimmers hand to rest on the bar between the flaps, the opposite end portions of said bar projecting outwardly beyond said flaps far enough to receive the hands of a swimmer.

34A Swimming appliance comprising. c9111- bination, a buoyant body. an elongated handle bar, andsupporting members connected. to said bodyv and depending therefrom `when the body is floating on a liquid, the projecting end portions of said members being connected t0 said handle bar to support the same in a generally horizontal position below the level of said liquid and spaced apart along the bar to leave the central portion of the latter and the portions thereof `adjacent the ends of the bar free and unobstructed to receive either one or both of eitherV the Vhands or the feet 0f a swimmer. Y l

EDWARD C. LINDGREN.

REFERENCES LCirri) The following references are .of record-in the file of this patent:

v UNITED STATES PATENTS Number 

